United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 2000-07-06
18usc924: author: Flash3 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)
Case and law context
Role: applied; posture: criminal appeal after bench trial (tried on the suppression-hearing evidence); sole issue is sufficiency of the evidence that the firearm was possessed "in furtherance"; conviction affirmed; result: claimant-won; claim: (c)(1)(A)
Uncertainty
None recorded
Misfit
None recorded
B · Case × element grid
Top-level elements follow claim order in panels of up to six elements. Case rows repeat across panels. Every recorded block retains its holding and basis; multiple blocks are not merged into a case-level verdict. ✓ satisfied · ✗ not satisfied · ○ not reached · · not addressed. Muted blocks are not counted. Sub-element evidence remains on case and element pages.
Elements 1–6 of 13
| Case | Qualifying federal predicate offense | Firearm object | Active employment of a firearm | Knowingly possess and convey the firearm | During and in relation to the predicate | Knowing actual or constructive possession |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States v. Ceballos-Torres — 218 F.3d 409 (2000) · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 2000 (18usc924: author: Flash3 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed |
Elements 7–12 of 13
| Case | Possession advances the specific predicate | Armor-piercing ammunition object | Use or carry the armor-piercing ammunition | Possess the armor-piercing ammunition | Section 2 aiding and abetting route | Greater minimum for the same firearm conduct displaces the lower minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States v. Ceballos-Torres — 218 F.3d 409 (2000) · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 2000 (18usc924: author: Flash3 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed | · not addressed |
Elements 13–13 of 13
| Case | Sentencing consequences after offense proof |
|---|---|
| United States v. Ceballos-Torres — 218 F.3d 409 (2000) · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 2000 (18usc924: author: Flash3 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | · not addressed |
Instances and excluded annotation blocks
| Case | Element | Holding and scope | Pattern | Exact source quotations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States v. Ceballos-Torres — 218 F.3d 409 (2000) · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 2000 — satisfied · proved (18usc924: author: Flash3 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md)) | Possession advances the specific predicate | satisfied Counted merits instance applied / merits basis: proved; claim: (c)(1)(A); party: Javier Ceballos-Torres; count: knowing possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i) (predicate: possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 841); subject: party=Javier Ceballos-Torres; count=knowing possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i) (predicate: possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 841) Sufficiency review of a bench-trial finding (any substantial evidence). The court adopts the dictionary meaning of "in furtherance" (furthers, advances, helps forward), rejects a "mere presence" test, lists non-exclusive factors, and affirms on the combination: loaded, accessible, illegally possessed, in the apartment with a substantial amount of drugs and money. The court also relied on the possession being illegal ("It was possessed illegally."), not quoted because it is a four-word sentence. The defendant's own stated purpose (personal protection) is recorded as cuts-against; the opinion reports it but does not weigh it expressly. | loaded Glock lying on the bed of the apartment where 570 g of cocaine and drug-tainted cash were hidden; possessor an illegal alien | What is instead required is evidence more specific to the particular defendant, showing that his or her possession actually furthered the drug trafficking offense.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [13003:13166] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.Thus, firearm possession that furthers, advances, or helps forward the drug trafficking offense violates the statute.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [15344:15461] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.Sanchez followed Ceballos into the bedroom and noticed a 9mm Glock handgun lying in plain view on top of the bed.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [1962:2075] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.During that search, they discovered 569.8 grams of cocaine and several empty kilo wrappers in the hidden compartment of a closet.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [2403:2532] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.The weapon was loaded and easily accessible in Ceballos’s apartment, and he confessed to ownership of the firearm.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [15622:15736] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.Ceballos said that he owned the gun for personal protection.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [2076:2136] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.Together, these factors reasonably support a finding that Ceballos’s gun protected his drugs and money against robbery.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [15855:15974] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.Possession of the Glock was, therefore, in furtherance of drug trafficking.Source: docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [15975:16050] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61. |
Court interpretations recorded from this case
interpretation
Thus, firearm possession that furthers, advances, or helps forward the drug trafficking offense violates the statute.
United States v. Ceballos-Torres — 218 F.3d 409 (2000) · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 2000 (18usc924: author: Flash3 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md))
Thus, firearm possession that furthers, advances, or helps forward the drug trafficking offense violates the statute.Source:
docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [15344:15461] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.(formerly `variant evidence/context`) Fifth Circuit nonexclusive factors: activity type, accessibility, weapon type, stolen status, legality of possession, loaded condition, proximity to drugs/profits, time and circumstances. These are evidentiary considerations, not mandatory independent elements. Ceballos-Torres affirmed on the combination of accessible loaded weapon, illegal possession, drugs and money. Neither mere presence nor a general assertion that drug dealers use guns suffices.
interpretation
What is instead required is evidence more specific to the particular defendant, showing that his or her possession actually furthered the drug trafficking offense.
United States v. Ceballos-Torres — 218 F.3d 409 (2000) · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 2000 (18usc924: author: Flash3 · QA: FIX (Fable, neov2/cases/TRIAGE-Flash.md))
What is instead required is evidence more specific to the particular defendant, showing that his or her possession actually furthered the drug trafficking offense.Source:
docroot/ir/caselaw/f3d_218.jsonl#/f3d/218/0409-01; Unicode character offsets [13003:13166] (end exclusive); SHA-256 a963d18b73c29e92d8f2a21df1df24215e7e78c5dbadce473f24bb45bdef5e61.(formerly `variant evidence/context`) Fifth Circuit nonexclusive factors: activity type, accessibility, weapon type, stolen status, legality of possession, loaded condition, proximity to drugs/profits, time and circumstances. These are evidentiary considerations, not mandatory independent elements. Ceballos-Torres affirmed on the combination of accessible loaded weapon, illegal possession, drugs and money. Neither mere presence nor a general assertion that drug dealers use guns suffices.